Undermount slide drawer adjustment and securing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention may be used for positioning and securing a drawer on a drawer slide member of a cabinet. There may be a positioning pin retained on a side wall of the drawer slide element. The positioning pin may have a pin attached to a springy projecting arm for positioning the pin in a hole in the bottom of the drawer. There may be a securing pin attached interior to the drawer slide member that may be rotated about a rotating end of a housing to position a slot pin through a pin slot in a side wall of the drawer slide member. The slot pin may engage an elongated aperture formed in the drawer to inhibit removal of the drawer from the drawer slide member. There may also be an adjustment cam rotatably retained in an adjustment bracket attached interior to the drawer slide member. The adjustment cam may have a protruding portion that may be rotated upwardly through a cam aperture in the top wall of the drawer slide member to raise the drawer height.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to devices used to position and secure a drawerelement that may be an open top drawer box on an undermount drawer slidemember. The new apparatus may have a spring biased positioning pin, arotating height adjustment cam and a drawer securing pin to position andsecure a drawer to a drawer slide.

Drawer positioning pins that may be rigidly attached to a drawer slideelement to engage a hole or bore in a drawer box may be known for use inretaining a drawer box on a slide. Screw type positioning bolts maycurrently be used to elevate a drawer box relative to a drawer slideelement to position a drawer box on a drawer slide. A drawer box may bepositioned on a pair of cabinet drawer slides for positioning holes inthe drawer on the rigidly attached pins. This type of positioning can bedifficult due to the necessity to position the holes over a protrudingpin. Using a threaded type bolt or screw to adjust a drawer height canalso be a tedious procedure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to devices and apparatus for use inpositioning and securing a drawer on a drawer slide member of a cabinet.There may be a positioning pin retained on a side wall of the drawerslide element. The positioning pin may have a pin attached to a springyprojecting arm for positioning the pin in a hole in the bottom of thedrawer. There may be a securing pin attached interior to the drawerslide member that may be rotated about a rotating end of a housing toposition a slot pin through a pin slot in a side wall of the drawerslide member. The slot pin may engage an elongated aperture formed inthe drawer to inhibit removal of the drawer from the drawer slidemember. There may also be an adjustment cam rotatably retained in anadjustment bracket attached interior to the drawer slide member. Theadjustment cam may have a protruding portion that may be rotatedupwardly through a cam aperture in the top wall of the drawer slidemember to raise the drawer height.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an end portion of a drawerslide element with an apparatus having a positioning pin, an adjustmentcam and a securing pin according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevation view of an apparatus according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an end elevation view of an apparatus according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of an apparatus according to an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a top perspective view of an end portion of a righthand drawer slide member with attached apparatus brackets according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom perspective view of an end portion of aright hand drawer slide member with attached apparatus bracketsaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a top perspective view of a portion of an apparatuswith a securing pin retracted into a slide element according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a top perspective and end elevation view of a portionof an apparatus with adjustment cam positions according to an embodimentof the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description represents the best currentlycontemplated modes for carrying out the invention. The description isnot to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purposeof illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, an undermount slide drawer adjustmentand securing apparatus 10 may have a positioning pin 12, a securing pin14 and an adjustment cam 16 attached to drawer slide member 100positioned to engage a drawer 102. The drawer 102 may be a box with opentop drawer type. The drawer slide member 100 may have a “U” channelshape with two side walls 104 and a top wall 106. The drawer slidemember 100 may be shaped to operate as a part of an underdrawer slideassembly with the drawer slide member 100 being the element on which adrawer 102 is positioned.

The positioning pin 12 may be retained on a positioning bracket 20attached adjacent a proximal end 108 of a drawer slide member 100. Thepositioning bracket 20 may be attached to a side wall 104 to position apin 22 of the positioning pin 12 to engage a hole or bore in a bottomside of a drawer 102. The position pin 12 may have a base plate 24 forattachment to the positioning bracket 20. The base plate 24 may have agenerally rectangular open portion 26 with a flexible, resilient,projecting arm 28 attached at a first end 30 to an edge 40 of the openportion 26. The projecting arm 28 may be shaped to pass through a slot32 in the positioning bracket 20 to position the pin 22 attached at afree or second end 34 through an aperture 36 in the positioning bracket20 for the pin 22 to project upwardly to engage a drawer 102. The baseplate 24 and positioning bracket 20 may have apertures 42 or protrudingpegs 44 to be used to retain the positioning pin 12 on the positioningbracket 20. Screws may be used to fasten the base plate 24 to thepositioning bracket 20.

The pin 22 and second end 34 may be forced downwardly against the springforce of the projecting arm 28, for example, when a drawer 102 may beplaced on the drawer slide member 100. When a drawer 102 that may have ahole in a bottom has the hole positioned over the pin 22 the projectingarm 28 may move the pin 22 upwardly into the hole. The projecting arm 28adjacent the second end 34 may have a tab 38 for gripping and pullingthe projecting arm 28 downwardly to retract the pin 22 from a drawer 102hole for ease in removing a drawer 102 from a drawer slide member 100.

The securing pin 14 may be retained on a securing bracket 50 that may beattached interior to the drawer slide member 100 on a side wall 104. Thesecuring bracket 50 may be positioned adjacent to the positioningbracket 20. The securing pin 14 may have a housing 52 of generallyrectangular box form with a spring biased fastening pin 54 slidablydisposed in and adjacent to a rotating end 56 and a spring biasedlocating pin 58 slidably disposed in and adjacent to a securing end 60.

The pins 54, 58 may be oriented generally vertically when the securingpin 12 may be positioned on the securing bracket 50. The securingbracket 50 may have a slot 62 for receipt of a bottom end 64 offastening pin 54 that may have a top end 66 inserted through a fasteningaperture 68 in the top wall 106 of the drawer slide member 100. Thelocating pin 58 may be positioned in a locating aperture 70 in the topwall 106 when the housing 52 is rotated to position a generallyhorizontally oriented slot pin 72 attached adjacent the securing end 60through a pin slot 74 in the side wall 104.

In operation the securing pin 14 may have the securing end 52 rotatedaway from the side wall 104 to retract the slot pin 72 interior to thedrawer slide member 100, as best viewed in FIG. 7. When a drawer 102that may have an elongated aperture 110 formed therein is properlypositioned on the drawer slide member 100, the housing 52 may be rotatedabout fastening pin 54 to cause the slot pin 72 to pass through pin slot74 to engage the elongated aperture 110 in the drawer 102. Positioningthe slot pin 72 may inhibit removal of the drawer 102 from the drawerslide member 100. There may be a finger tab 76 on the housing 52 to aidin rotating the housing 52.

The adjustment cam 16 may be retained on an adjustment bracket 80 thatmay be attached interior to the drawer slide member 100 on a side wall104. The adjustment bracket 80 may be positioned adjacent thepositioning bracket 20 or the securing bracket 50. The adjustment cam 16may have a generally cylindrical shape cam body 82 with a raised portion84 relative to the circular surface of the cam body 82. The cam body 82may have mounting pins 86 attached at each end and a toothed gear 88 maybe attached to one of the mounting pins 86.

The adjustment cam 16 may be rotatably inserted in opposed slots 90 ofthe securing bracket 80 with the raised portion 84 oriented upwardly toabut a drawer 102 that may be positioned on the drawer slide member 100.There may be a cam aperture 92 in the top wall 106 with an opening toallow rotating the raised portion 84 upwardly and outwardly against adrawer 102 bottom. There may be a ratchet arm 94 that engages the teethof the gear 88 to retain the cam body 82 in a particular position. Theadjustment cam 16 may be structured to allow elevation of a drawer 102portion between 0 mm and 3 mm in height, as best viewed in FIG. 8. A camtab 96 may be attached to the cam body 82 to aid in rotating the cambody 82.

While the apparatus 10 has been described with three devices incombination for adjusting and securing a drawer 102 on a drawer slidemember 100, the device 12, 14, 16 may be also used singly or incombinations of two.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withrespect to the illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in formand details may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

1. An apparatus to position and secure a drawer element on a drawerslide member comprising: a positioning pin retained on a positioningbracket attached to a side wall of a drawer slide member wherein a pinof said positioning pin is oriented upwardly; a base plate of saidpositioning pin has a generally rectangular open portion with aprojecting arm that is springy attached at a first end to an edge ofsaid generally rectangular open portion; and said projecting arm isshaped to pass through a slot in said positioning bracket to positionsaid pin attached at a second end of said projecting arm through saidpositioning bracket having an aperture therein.
 2. The apparatus as inclaim 1 further comprising: a securing pin rotatably retained on asecuring bracket attached interior to said drawer slide member on saidside wall; a housing of said securing pin has a fastening pin slidabledisposed therein adjacent a rotating end with said securing pin springbiased axially wherein said fastening pin has a bottom end disposed in aslot of said securing bracket and a top end disposed in said drawerslide member having a fastening aperture in a top wall thereof; alocating pin is slidably disposed in said housing adjacent a securingend with said securing pin spring biased axially; a slot pin attachedadjacent said rotating end positioned to protrude generally horizontallyand outwardly through said side wall having a pin slot therein when saidsecuring end is rotated adjacent to said side wall; and said top wallhaving a locating aperture therein for receipt of said locating pin whensaid securing end is rotated adjacent to said side wall.
 3. Theapparatus as in claim 1 further comprising: an adjustment cam rotatablyretained in an adjustment bracket attached interior to said drawer slidemember on said side wall; said adjustment cam has a cam body that isgenerally cylindrical shaped with a raised portion relative to thecircular surface of said cam body; a mounting pin attached at each endof said cam body and a toothed gear attached to one of said mountingpins; said adjustment bracket having two opposed slots with a ratchetarm attached adjacent one of said opposed slots to engage said toothedgear when said mounting pins are disposed in said opposed slots; andsaid top wall having a cam aperture therein for said raised portion topass therethrough when said cam body is rotated.
 4. The apparatus as inclaim 1 wherein said projecting arm has a tab attached adjacent saidsecond end.
 5. The apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said housing has afinger tab attached adjacent to said securing end.
 6. The apparatus asin claim 2 wherein said adjustment bracket is attached adjacent saidpositioning bracket.
 7. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said cambody has a cam tab attached.
 8. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein saidadjustment bracket is attached adjacent said positioning bracket.
 9. Anapparatus to position and secure a drawer element on a drawer slidemember comprising: a securing pin rotatably retained on a securingbracket attached interior to a drawer slide member on a side wall; ahousing of said securing pin has a fastening pin slidable disposedtherein adjacent a rotating end with said securing pin spring biasedaxially wherein said fastening pin has a bottom end disposed in a slotof said securing bracket and a top end disposed in said drawer slidemember having a fastening aperture in a top wall thereof; a locating pinis slidably disposed in said housing adjacent a securing end with saidlocating pin spring biased axially; a slot pin attached adjacent saidrotating end positioned to protrude generally horizontally and outwardlythrough said side wall having a pin slot therein when said securing endis rotated adjacent to said side wall; and said top wall having alocating aperture therein for receipt of said locating pin when saidsecuring end is rotated adjacent to said side wall.
 10. An apparatus toposition a drawer element on a drawer slide member comprising: anadjustment cam rotatably retained in an adjustment bracket attachedinterior to a drawer slide member on a side wall; said adjustment camhas a cam body that is generally cylindrical shaped with a raisedportion relative to the circular surface of said cam body; a mountingpin attached at each end of said cam body and a toothed gear attached toone of said mounting pins; said adjustment bracket having two opposedslots with a ratchet arm attached adjacent one of said opposed slots toengage said toothed gear when said mounting pins are disposed in saidopposed slots; and a top wall having a cam aperture therein for saidraised portion to pass therethrough when said cam body is rotated.